Improvement in cotton-bale tie



IMPROVEMENT IN corren-BALB TIE.

dip Stigttule referat tu in time ettett man mit mating Inti nf it: same.

TO `ALL WHOM IT MAY CONGERN: Y

Be it known that I, JAMES R. SPEEII, 'of Pittsburg, in the county of Allegheny; and State ofPeunsylvania, l have invented a. new and useful Improvement in Metallic Bands for Baliug Cotton; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full and exact description thereof, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, I

and tothe letters or reference marked thereon. v

The nature of my invention consists in. providing a clasp with apertures which are contracted, so as'to grasp more firmly metallic bands and prevent them from unhooking or becoming otherwise disengaged-while shipping, manipulating on shipboard, or otherwise handling the cotton-bales, it being `an improvement upon the clasp described in my patent reissued.

My invention further consists in the use of semi-oval iron, when used in combination with said clasp for metallic bands for baling cotton.

My invention also consists iu use of metallic bands when made in sections, and so arranged and adjusted with relation to the baling of cotton on the` plantation, and the re-baling or compressing of the bales at the shipping ports, that one or mpre of the sections ot' the metallic bands may lreadily be removed aud'again used `at the plantation for baling.

To enable'others skilled in the art to make and use my invention, I will proceed to describe its construction and operation. In the accompanying drawings, which form part of my specification- Figure 1 represents a top view of my `improvement in metallic bands for yheling cotton.

Figure 2 represents a longitudinal section'of the same.

Figure 3 represents one mode of forming the short'sections of the bands. p

Figure 4 represents a top view of the clasp used in connection with the semi-oval iron.

Figure 5 represents a transverse section of the hand made of semi-oval iron.

In`the drawings, A represents the clasp, which is provided with contracted apertures marked 1 andf2, the

I form of said apertures being clearly shown in fig. 4. The clasp A is bent across the apertures, as shown in iig'. f2, for the purpose of presenting an easy means for the hooking of the ends of the bands to the clasp. B repre.

tsents the short section of the band, and is provided with hooked ends marked 3 and 4. C represents the long 'section of the band, one end of which is secured to the clasp, and the other end of vwhich is provided with a hook, 5.

I The operation of my improvement is as follows: The band C is arranged in the press in the ordinary man* ner,l and the cotton compressed in the usual way. The short section B of the band is then hooked tothe band C, as indicated at 4 and 5 of figs. 1 and 2; and then -the hook 3 is hooked in the opening 1 of the clasp'A, which completes the operation of securing the band on the cotton-bale at the plantation.-` When the bale is compressed at the shipping port the short section B of the band is removed and the hook 5 of the band C is hooked 'in the opening 1 of the clasp A. This will complete the operation of re-baling or compressing the cotton-bales at thess/eaports or other shipping points or ports. l I

' The adyan'taige of my improvement consists in making bands in sections or cottonbales, .thereby facilii .tating the refbaling process, for, be it observed that in re-balingfor 'the purpose of transportation', the bauds are cut and adapted in length to the size of the compressed bales, and that portion of the band which -is cut oit` is always lost to the planter. My improvement saves this part of the baud, for the short sections can be returned tothe planter and again used for' baling at the plantation, thus saving to the plantel', by the use of the short sections B, of the bands', about twenty-five per cent. in the cost of bands, and much time, labor-,- and trouble, iu the process of 13a-ling and the re-baling ofthe cotton.

The use of semi-oval iron is another very important part of my invention, and has many advantages over. i

the thin, flat bands, (hoop-iron.) The semi-oval iron is stronger and less liable to become twisted and outof shape, and presents less surface to the action of the atmosphere and other causes of' oxidation.- Another very great advantage obtained by the use of semi-oval iron= is itsl chenpness when comparedwith the cost of thin band-iron. The' semi-oval iron costs less, and can, after it has served its purpose for buling cotton, beused for' making wrought nails, bucket-hails, pot and tea-kettles, &c., while the thin band-iron is unfit for other uses after it has been used for heling cotton. v

Contracting one side of the openings of the clasp A will cause the band to be held firmly, and will prevent it from becoming unhooked or otherwise disconnected while handling and manipulating the bales and bending the clasp cross the aperture will present an easy audready means for the insertion of the ends of the bands Having thus described the nature, construction, and operation of my improvement, what I claim as of my inr'ention, isA

n l. A clasp for 'baling cotton, said clasp being provided with contracted apertures of the form herein descibed, and bent in the manner and fr the purpose set forth. Y

2. In combination with the above, I claim bands made of semi-ov'al iron v .nd in detached sections, as herein described and for the purpose set forth.

- JAMES R. SPEER.

Witnesses:

' JAMES J. JOHNSTON, A. C. JoHNs'roN. 

